Experts say that calcium and vitamins in milk are what Chinese people lack the most, and they should drink more milk.
Recently, milk has suddenly become a hot topic in Japan. Due to a significant increase in fresh milk production this year and a relative decrease in consumption, dairy farmers had to destroy a total of 1,000 tons of fresh milk. Many people find this a great pity, and farmers in Hokkaido, Japan's largest fresh milk production base, are especially heartbroken. They have therefore joined forces to launch various promotional campaigns, emphasizing the many benefits of milk for the human body, hoping that Japanese people will drink more milk. As early as May 2003, Japan's Ministry of Education issued a notice: as long as the internationally required nutritional standards are met, milk does not have to be provided in school lunches in the future.
The importance of milk to the Japanese people is diminishing, and studies on the "harms" of milk are constantly emerging around the world, ranging from theories linking it to cancer to questioning its calcium-supplementing function. All kinds of claims have been made. Recently, a Dr. Lin from Taiwan even summarized the "harms" of milk, causing much discussion. Should we continue to drink milk?
More than 30 countries have legislation to promote milk
Regarding milk, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said: "There is no investment more important than providing milk to children!" In fact, many countries around the world place great importance on promoting milk.
In 1943, the United States passed relevant laws and allocated special funds to launch a school milk drinking program; in the 1950s, they proposed the "Three Glasses of Milk Movement," encouraging citizens to drink a glass of milk with each meal, which solved the widespread calcium deficiency problem among Americans at the time. In the same year, Finland passed a law to provide free milk to students aged 7-18, and this became part of the school education system.
In 1964, to improve the physical fitness of its people, the Japanese government announced that milk must be included in school lunches. As a result, the physique of the Japanese people improved greatly, with an average increase in height of 11 cm and weight of 8 kg compared to the previous generation.
In 1979, Kenya launched a school milk program, which currently benefits 6.7 million primary and preschool children in urban and rural areas.
In Thailand, 6.2 million primary school students participate in the "National Milk Drinking Movement," and the malnutrition rate among primary school students has dropped from 19% in 1990 to the current 10%.
Today, more than 30 countries around the world have implemented school milk drinking programs. In 2000, the "School Milk Drinking Program," led by the Ministry of Agriculture and with the participation of seven other ministries, was officially implemented in our country, and the catchy slogan "A glass of milk strengthens a nation" was born. Milk contains vitamins that Chinese people lack the most
Milk is valued worldwide, and naturally, it has its benefits. In an interview, Professor Nan Qingxian of the College of Food Science at China Agricultural University, an executive director of the China Dairy Industry Association, and Associate Professor Fan Zhihong of the same college both believe that milk has the following main benefits:
1. Milk is rich in nutrients. In addition to its rich calcium content, it is also rich in B vitamins, vitamin A, and vitamin D. The nutrients that Chinese people lack the most are precisely calcium, vitamins A, D, B2, etc. According to data from the Japan Dairy Farmers' Association, the main nutritional components of milk are lactose, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins, with an excellent nutritional structure. The lactose in it can also promote the absorption of trace elements such as calcium and iron.
2. Milk protein contains 8 essential amino acids that the human body cannot synthesize on its own, with a digestibility of as high as 98%-100%, which can fully guarantee the intake of protein.
3. Milk can enhance human immunity, promote bone growth in children, and provide the nutrients they need for development. For the elderly, milk can prevent atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. In addition, Japanese experts believe that milk can strengthen teeth, help with sleep, prevent bacterial infections, regulate cholesterol levels, and aid in weight loss. The "harm theory" of milk does not hold
Although milk has many benefits, since the 1980s, studies on the "harms" of milk have continuously emerged. Last year, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, published a study stating that drinking large amounts of milk increases the incidence of ovarian cancer. In September of last year, Dr. Akio Sato, an honorary professor at Yamanashi Medical University in Japan, published an article in the *Journal of Occupational Health* stating: Although Finns and Swedes drink 4.5 times more milk than Japanese people, they are more prone to fractures; excessive consumption of milk or dairy products may trigger myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. He also suspected that hormones in milk are related to prostate cancer and breast cancer. In summary, these "harm theories" include four aspects: 1. Leading to excessive protein intake, which damages health; 2. Milk is acidic and will dissolve calcium, leading to osteoporosis; 3. Increasing the risk of diabetes and skin allergies; 4. Increasing the risk of cancers such as breast cancer.
In response to these views, Professor Fan Zhihong pointed out that these claims are based on surveys of Western populations. First, the dietary structure of Westerners is characterized by high protein and high fat, plus large amounts of milk, cheese, ice cream, etc., but the protein intake of Chinese people is generally insufficient. She told reporters that the protein content in milk is 3%, which is much lower than that of meat and even lower than that of soy products (tofu 5%, dried tofu 20%). In terms of dietary structure, the proportion of protein it provides to the human body is very small, and it can only play a supplementary role. Therefore, "the stick of excessive protein cannot be wielded against milk."
The second issue is calcium. China has tens of millions of middle-aged and elderly patients with osteoporosis. Professor Fan said that the vast majority of them did not drink milk or drank very little before. In fact, milk is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and other metal elements, and is generally weakly alkaline—according to calculations by authoritative departments, 100 grams of milk contains 120-130 mg of potassium and 110-140 mg of calcium. Since milk is weakly alkaline, it will not decompose calcium in bones, leading to osteoporosis. Surveys show that most osteoporosis patients in our country live in rural areas with low milk consumption.
Regarding diabetes, skin allergies, and other issues, Professor Fan pointed out that studies have found that if infants under 6 months old are exposed to milk protein, their chances of developing diabetes in adulthood increase; infants aged 4-6 months fed with milk may have an increased incidence of skin allergies. Therefore, she said that during infancy, we should advocate for breastfeeding and drink less milk. But for children over 6 months old, especially adults, drinking milk has no relationship with the incidence of diabetes and allergies.
The "milk causes cancer" theory has attracted the attention of many researchers in recent years. Their basis is a research report from the Ottawa meeting of the World Conference on Breast Cancer. The report says that after cows are injected with growth hormones, a growth hormone called IGF-1 appears in the milk, which can lead to cancers such as breast cancer. Professor Fan pointed out: "Milk produced under non-standard conditions contains growth hormones, leading to cancer, which is similar to a person getting sick from eating pork containing clenbuterol." To solve this problem, milk production enterprises must strictly control the breeding conditions; it cannot be said that milk causes cancer. "In fact, milk contains a large amount of substances similar to linoleic acid, which has an inhibitory effect on many cancers, especially colon cancer."
Professor Nan Qingxian told reporters that not only in China, but around the world, milk is being promoted, and no adverse reactions have been found. According to the reporter's understanding, in Japan, the above "harm theories" are only individual voices, and people still regard milk as a healthy food. Professor Fan Zhihong said that for those who are not confident about fresh milk, they can drink more yogurt. Yogurt is a dairy product fermented by lactic acid bacteria or bifidobacteria. It is highly nutritious, helps prevent stroke and heart disease, and can lower blood pressure. Therefore, it is strongly advocated in both the East and the West. It is best to drink less "extra-thick milk"
The "harm theory" of milk does not hold, but does that mean we can drink it with abandon without worry? Experts point out that drinking milk also requires a method.
Professor Fan Zhihong said that from a nutritional perspective, various nutrients must be balanced, otherwise it will lead to malnutrition. Currently, there are some obvious misunderstandings among consumers regarding milk consumption. Some people consume large amounts of milk because it is a healthy food, even drinking it like water, which can lead to nutritional imbalance. She emphasized that for the elderly, drinking more than two glasses of milk a day will increase the risk of cataracts, and one glass (200 ml) per person per day is more appropriate.
In addition, some people think the richer and creamier the milk, the better. Some companies cater to this consumer perception by artificially adding flavorings, milk powder, thickeners, and stabilizers to make the milk taste very rich and creamy. However, too much added milk powder will cause the lactose content to exceed the standard; exceeding 8%-9% will be harmful to the human body, causing diarrhea. In addition, some "extra-thick milk" also uses industrial cream and thickeners, which will affect nutrient absorption.
Others believe that "the lower the fat, the better," which makes "skim milk" very popular. For example, Americans especially like to drink low-fat and skim milk, while whole milk is rarely sought after. However, Professor Fan Zhihong told reporters that the fat in milk cannot be directly converted into body fat, and the proportion of natural milk fat is not high, so people don't need to worry too much. In fact, milk is rich in protein and has a small amount of cream and lactose, which can provide the energy the human body needs. Drinking milk appropriately can reduce the intake of staple foods, which is beneficial for weight loss. Chinese people do not drink enough milk
Experts point out that the key problem for us now is not about what happens if we drink too much milk, but that we are not drinking enough. Data released by the China Dairy Association shows that in the 5 years from 2000 to 2004, the dairy industry became the fastest-growing industry in China's food industry, with the per capita milk possession increasing from 7 kg in 1999 to 18 kg in 2004. They predict that China's dairy production will continue to grow by 6%-9% annually. Some industry insiders believe that in 10 years, China's per capita milk consumption may reach one-third of the current U.S. level. However, the rapid growth in production cannot hide the reality that Chinese people drink too little milk. According to statistics, the average annual milk intake per person in our country is about 8.1 kg, less than 1/12 of the world average. In European and American countries, the per capita figure reaches 300 kg, and in Japan it is 62.1 kg. The gap is obvious. Professor Fan Zhihong said that in big cities like Beijing, the basic standard of one glass of milk per person per day can be met, but on a national average, it's only one spoonful per person per day.
Based on the above facts, the Chinese Nutrition Society has, for the first time in the third point of the new *Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents*, proposed that dairy and its products should be eaten daily. Experts point out that dairy products are not only rich in nutrients but also inexpensive, so they should become "lifelong foods."